


The Fall of House Ordelia

by JCWasp



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-01
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26225167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JCWasp/pseuds/JCWasp
Summary: I always wondered how Three Houses would work as a TV show — where the story could be more fully developed and fleshed out. So I decided to do it myself.This is a version of the story without Byleth, where Edelgard, Claude and Dimitri are left to their own devices. How might events unfold without a professor/goddess to guide any of them?We start with the fall of House Ordelia — and transition years later to life at the Officer's Academy, where mysterious events begin to push Fódlan toward another age of conflict.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	The Fall of House Ordelia

**Author's Note:**

> A few notes:  
> —This story is told in screenplay format.  
> —Students are aged up to all be at least 18.  
> —There are some differences from the game lore. Please remember that this is an adaptation, not a full re-telling.  
> —I'm on Twitter @JCWasp if you want to comment on or discuss anything here. I'm happy to respectfully engage with anyone who loves this story and world as much as I do.

EXT. HOUSE ORDELIA GROUNDS - NIGHT

The camera opens on the night sky. Stars fill the entire expanse. One star, SIRIUS, shines far brighter than the rest. A RED COMET streaks through the sky.

In the gardens behind CASTLE ORDELIA is LYSITHEA VON ORDELIA, 9, a smallish girl with wide eyes, long and thick brown hair, and the decorative gold and purple robes of a young Ordelia noble. She reads a heavy, dusty tome under the light of a torch.

Lysithea raises her head. Her eyes catch the comet. She gazes with wonder.

She tugs at the arm of her father, COUNT LEAR ORDELIA, 39. His lined face makes him appear older and wearier than he is.

He watches the comet as well. It passes directly over Sirius. The Count's face is grim. Lysithea watches his reaction closely, confused and concerned.

COUNT ORDELIA  
Dilwin.

DILWIN, 34, a large man and veteran guard with ornate armor, steps forward.

DILWIN  
Yes, Count Ordelia?

COUNT ORDELIA  
Round up the children.

DILWIN  
My lord? What's troubling you?

COUNT ORDELIA  
A foul omen from the Goddess. Get the children.

Troubled, Dilwin nods. He grabs Lysithea in his burly arms and tucks her over his shoulder.

DILWIN  
Come, Lysithea.

She watches her father with concern — he shrinks in her vision as Dilwin carries her to the castle.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA TOWER ROOM - DAY

Lysithea is in a small room with her three siblings: JULIOS, 5, ALTHEA, 6, and LEON, 11.

She peers out the window while the other three siblings huddle together.

LEON  
Lysithea. Come away from there.

LYSITHEA  
No. I want to see.

LEON  
I think father's got himself spooked. House Hrym would never —

Lysithea shushes him.

She sees three HORSEMEN galloping full speed toward the castle. They move with urgency — as if they are being chased.

Lysithea darts to the door and opens it. Dilwin stands outside the room. She tries to run past him, but he gently scoops her up.

DILWIN  
Lady Lysithea, you must stay inside.

LYSITHEA  
They're coming back from across the river! We have to meet them!

The guard is startled.

DILWIN  
Who? How many?

LYSITHEA  
Three riders.

The words hit Dilwin like a ton of bricks. He puts his hands on her shoulders and leans in close — deadly serious.

DILWIN  
Lady Lysithea. Listen to me. You must stay here. I will keep you safe. But you must stay in that room. Do you understand?

Lysithea nods, concerned.

LYSITHEA  
What's happening? Why is everyone so frightened?

After a beat, Dilwin sighs.

DILWIN  
I fear your father's kindness has taken us a step too far.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA TOWER ROOM - DAY

Lysithea peers outside the window.

Over the treetops, we hear flapping wings. The thundering whinny of a horse.

A flying horse — 10 of them. A battalion of PEGASUS KNIGHTS glides toward the castle. All carrying the crimson eagle banner of the ADRESTIAN EMPIRE. Their formation splits and they wave their banners high and proud in the air, streaming across the front grounds of the castle.

They're here to make a statement.

Now the thundering footsteps of marching soldiers. The Empire's army has arrived. Hundreds of soldiers approach the castle.

Lysithea watches — entranced and frightened.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA BANQUET HALL - DAY

The great doors burst open. Scores of ADRESTIAN EMPIRE SOLDIERS with lances and scarlet eagle banners enter the hall. At their head is DUKE LUDWIG VON AEGIR, 41, a small and pudgy man with flaming red hair.

The Ordelia servants scatter — hastily putting the finishing touches on a quickly-prepared feast.

Count Ordelia sits on a small throne overlooking the hall, with his guard, advisors and his wife GWYNETH, 37. He stands and opens his arms. His voice is naturally kind, but tense.

COUNT ORDELIA  
Duke Aegir. We welcome you to Ordelia lands — and to the territory of the Leicester Alliance.

A frightened servant rushes forward with a brass container of incense — a gift.

COUNT ORDELIA  
Please, Prime Minister, join us in —

Duke Aegir grabs the incense and chucks it to the side.

DUKE AEGIR  
Spare me, Lear. You know why I'm here. Step aside. The Adrestian Empire will now be overseeing your lands, your treasury, and all of your affairs.

COUNT ORDELIA  
My good Duke, surely you -

The Duke is fuming.

DUKE AEGIR  
You have the audacity to side with House Hrym? To help those traitors leave the Empire and join the Leicester Alliance?

COUNT ORDELIA  
Their territory is adjacent ours, right across the river, we've long been friends of the Hryms -

DUKE AEGIR  
Good enough friends to send them your troops for a fight that doesn't concern you.

COUNT ORDELIA  
They did not want to be involved in your coup. They are friends who wanted to join our Alliance. It does not trouble me who has power in the Empire. I was simply helping an ally —

DUKE AEGIR  
And now House Hrym is gone. And your army is crushed. Stand aside, Count.

The soldiers march forward with their lances raised. Some Ordelian guards raise their swords but are immediately impaled on Empire lances. Count Ordelia, shocked, crumbles to his throne.

Duke Aegir sneers.

DUKE AEGIR  
You're fortunate I will let you live. But from now on, you'll do as I say.

He smirks, pleased with himself.

DUKE AEGIR  
Just like our beloved Emperor.

The Duke chuckles. His troops begin to ransack the hall. He moves to exit, but stops by the door and turns to a MAGE wearing black robes and a plague mask.

DUKE AEGIR  
Find the children.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA - DAY

The mage and two EMPIRE SWORDSMEN roam the halls of the castle. They are looking for something. Around them, Empire troops loot rooms and chase after Ordelia servants.

They climb the spiral staircase of a tower. The mage stops and lifts his head — he's onto something.

MAGE  
Blood blessed by the goddess.

The group quickly ascends the stairs, tense.

We see Dilwin standing outside the room where Lysithea and the Ordelia children hide. He sizes up the approaching mage and swordsmen, and bows as they approach.

DILWIN  
M'lords.

The mage silently makes for the door.

DILWIN  
There's naught but dusty junk in here, m'lords. If you're looking for trinkets, best head further up -

The mage grabs the handle. Lightning quick, Dilwin draws and swings his axe. The mage ducks to avoid the swing as the swordsmen ready their weapons. Dilwin fells one of them with a mighty blow but is quickly stabbed by the other.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA TOWER ROOM - DAY

The Ordelia children are huddled around the window. Leon lifts young Julios and holds him outside the window.

EXT. CASTLE ORDELIA TOWER - DAY

A PEGASUS KNIGHT hovers outside the window, stretching out her hands to grab Julios. She is dressed in the purple and gold Ordelia colors.

PEGASUS KNIGHT  
A little farther, Master Leon!

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA TOWER - DAY

Dilwin roars and charges at the remaining swordsman. Together they tumble down the staircase, the swordsman stabbing him with a knife the whole way.

The mage rips open the door.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA TOWER ROOM - DAY

The mage enters the room. The children gasp. Lysithea springs into action, running to the middle of the room and stretching out her limbs to block the mage's path.

LYSITHEA  
Hurry! Leon!

The mage raises his arms and fires a DARK MAGIC SPELL out the window, past the heads of the children. It blasts the knight off of her pegasus. She falls, shouting, toward the ground and her death.

Lysithea charges at the mage. He scoops her up in one arm as the other children cower.

Two more mages in black robes and plague masks enter the room. They move for the rest of the children.

Lysithea pounds the back of the mage with her fists as she is carried away.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA BANQUET HALL - DAY

The mages carry the children through the banquet hall. It has been fully ransacked — tables, chairs, paintings and tapestries all smashed, torn, and ruined.

Count Ordelia and Gwyneth are held at lance point by Empire soldiers as they see their children carried away by the mages. They watch with horror.

GWYNETH  
No! Leave them alone!

LYSITHEA  
Father, help!

The Count makes a break for it. He elbows his way past the soldier's lance. WHACK! He is met with another lance shaft right to the temple. He falls, blood trickling down his face. Shaken, he calls out to them —

COUNT ORDELIA  
I am so sorry. I could not protect you...

The Count shrinks in Lysithea's vision as the mage carries her away, Gwyneth's sobs echoing in her ears.

INT. DUNGEON

Lysithea awakens in a dark, musty stone room. She struggles, trying to move her limbs. We hear the clanging of metal on wood.

She is chained to the table.

She cranes her neck left and right. She can barely see her arms — and where she was once wearing fine robes, she is now covered in rags.

A beat of silence.

Lysithea squirms, but it's no use. She calls out.

LYSITHEA  
Mother? Father? Where am I?

More silence.

The sound of sharpening knives cuts through the darkness.

LYSITHEA  
(meek) Who's there?

Now, muffled voices — spoken from behind masks.

VOICE #1  
This one has a crest. Just like her father.

Gloved hands grab Lysithea's face.

VOICE #2  
Yes. She'll do nicely. Do you know what your crest is, little girl?

Lysithea trembles.

LYSITHEA  
It's — it's the crest of Gloucester.

VOICE #1  
Yes. You have the blood of one of the 10 Elites. Your ancestor's bloodline was blessed by the goddess over a thousand years ago.

He takes a knife and carefully cuts open a hole in Lysithea's ragged shirt over her heart. And on her skin we see the imprint of a sigil. The CREST OF GLOUCESTER.

VOICE #2  
Your older brother didn't have a crest. You're one of the lucky ones.

VOICE #1  
Your younger brother, though. He had it. So he was the heir to your father's title.

VOICE #2  
And I'm sure your father planned to marry you off to the highest bidder. Who wouldn't want a crest in their family? Did he plan to marry you into House Riegan, perhaps?

VOICE #1  
(laughs) He always bent over for House Hrym — I'm sure he'd want the same from her.

VOICE #2  
(laughs) House Hrym. It's a shame they're all dead.

VOICE #1  
Just like her brothers. And her sister.

Lysithea shakes. Tears stream down her cheeks. The knives sharpen again, loudly.

A torch is lit. The room is suddenly bathed in orange light. The voices belong to the mages — still wearing plague masks.

MAGE #1  
They all failed our test...

Around the room are three other tables with metal chains. Tatters of clothes are left behind. Lysithea's siblings were held captive here recently.

Behind the mages we see strange, otherworldly sets of alchemical equipment.

MAGE #1  
But you seem special.

A wet cloth is pressed against Lysithea's face. She passes out.

INT. DUNGEON

Lysithea awakens with a start.

She is in a different room. A cell. She lays on a bed of straw on the cold, hard floor.

No sound but the eerie drip of water.

Slowly, weakly, she stands — and stumbles. She catches herself on her hands and knees. Her hair droops into a puddle that has formed on the floor.

Her hair.

It doesn't look right.

She grabs a clump and pulls it in front of her face.

It's white as snow.

She looks in the puddle and catches her reflection. All of her hair is completely white, drained of color.

FOOTSTEPS echo down the hallway. A SHADOWED FIGURE appears with the mages. They watch Lysithea through the bars. But she cannot look away from the unfamiliar face staring back at her.

SHADOWED FIGURE  
This is the one who survived?

MAGE #1  
Yes. She was... mostly a success.

A commanding voice barks at Lysithea.

SHADOWED FIGURE  
You there. Girl. Show me your crest.

Lysithea meekly looks toward him. She is still very weak.

MAGE #2 opens the door to the cell and opens the torn hole in her garments — over her heart.

The Crest of Gloucester is still there — and next to it, the bright glowing sigil of the CREST OF CHARON.

The shadowed figure smirks.

MAGE #2  
Two crests in her blood. It's never been done.

Mage #2 shoves Lysithea to the floor.

MAGE #2  
She will be powerful. But her body is weakened. She won't live nearly as long as a normal human.

MAGE #1  
She may have ten more years. If she's fortunate.

The shadowed figure nods.

SHADOWED FIGURE  
Very well.

He walks away. The mages follow him. They don't even give Lysithea a second glance.

Lysithea stares at the wall, shellshocked.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA GROUNDS - NIGHT

A HOODED RIDER throws a BURLAP SACK from the back of a horse onto the road. We see Castle Ordelia in the distance.

The rider charges away into the woods.

The sack starts to wiggle. There's a person inside. An arm pokes out of the top, and Lysithea weakly pulls herself out. She can barely move.

INT. CASTLE ORDELIA COURTYARD - NIGHT

Count Ordelia and Gwyneth rush down the stairs into the courtyard. Empire soldiers stand watchful.

Two Ordelia guards approach. One of them carries Lysithea. He lets her down slowly.

Her parents embrace her and she collapses into their arms. They hold her tightly. She begins to weep.

Her parents soon join her, tears streaming down their faces as they hold on tight to the only family they have left.

EXT. GARREG MACH MOCK BATTLEFIELD - DAY

NINE YEARS LATER...

Lysithea, now 18, runs through thick woods, breathless. She wears a laced black and bronze ACADEMY UNIFORM with golden highlights. She has grown into a beautiful, smallish young woman — mature, intense, and focused.

She ducks behind a tree and peers behind her. A large BLACK EAGLE STUDENT creeps through the bushes. He wears a similar uniform to Lysithea, but highlighted with red instead of gold.

Without hesitating, Lysithea concentrates, weaves her hands and fires a bolt of magical energy. It passes through the student. He falls to the ground.

BLACK EAGLE STUDENT  
You got me.

Lysithea jumps over him as she runs back out of the trees.

LYSITHEA  
Coming after me alone? You should know better.

She hears the sounds of wooden weapons clashing. She follows the commotion and sees CLAUDE VON RIEGAN, 19, a dashing, half-Arabic man with a wry grin. His uniform has golden highlights like Lysithea's.

He brandishes a wooden sword against the long spear of another BLACK EAGLE STUDENT, a determined female. He dodges her jabs, rolls to the ground and thrusts his sword into her chest. She yells in frustration and sinks to the ground — unhurt.

Claude turns and sees Lysithea.

CLAUDE  
Just in time. Come on, the meeting point is right over here —

They jog away.

EXT. MOCK BATTLEFIELD HILL - DAY

EDELGARD VON HRESVELG, 18, majestic and determined, raises her wooden axe in the air. She has long platinum blonde hair and a frail complexion, but iron will in her eyes. Her uniform is perfectly kept and highlighted with red. She lets out a shout and runs forward toward a BLUE LION FEMALE — who wears a uniform highlighted with blue.

EDELGARD  
Onward, Black Eagles! Nobody will stop us today!

The BLACK EAGLES, Edelgard's class of students, attacks a WOODEN FORT on top of a hill in the center of the battlefield.

There is a tower at the center, but the rest of the "fort" is haphazard, arranged more like an obstacle course than a true fortress. There are no walls, just scattered wooden structures and unfinished fortifications.

CASPAR VON BERGLIEZ, 18, a slender but strong young man overflowing with energy, lets out a battle cry and charges forward, axe at the ready.

DOROTHEA ARNAULT, 19, a devastatingly beautiful woman with dramatic flair, draws a slender wooden sword with a wink and a smile.

DOROTHEA  
You can count on me, Edie!

Edelgard elegantly brings the head of her axe down onto the Blue Lion student, who falls and gives herself up.

Edelgard turns and sees a BLUE LION BOWMAN atop a wooden fortification. SWISH! He unleashes a blunt arrow in her direction.

The arrow is struck by a bolt of magical energy, and another bolt knocks the bowman to the ground. Edelgard glances knowingly behind her.

HUBERT VON VESTRA, 19, tall, pale, aloof and calculating, gives her a nod.

Together they rush toward the central tower.

FERDINAND VON AEGIR, 19, an arrogant man with flaming red hair and white gloves, follows Edelgard and Hubert, his wooden lance raised. He is the son of Duke Aegir, and he is visibly agitated.

FERDINAND  
(through clenched teeth) I won't let you get all the glory for this one, Edelgard.

PETRA MACNEARY, 18, an island woman with red braided hair and a tattooed crescent moon under her eye, holds a long wooden knife in her teeth as she climbs up the outside of the central tower. She spies a BLUE LION MAGE leaning out over the top of the tower. Her pace quickens.

She reaches the top, draws her blade and lets out a mighty yell as she leaps toward the mage — but stops abruptly, loses her footing and slips to the ground.

The mage is already on his knees. Edelgard holds her axe to his neck.

EXT. GARREG MACH MOCK BATTLEFIELD - DAY

Lysithea and Claude reach a large stone STATUE OF THE GODDESS. The years have left it worn down and covered with moss. The GOLDEN DEER, Claude's class of students, waits for him:

HILDA GONERIL, 18, a sassy woman who is beautiful and knows it, sits on an outcropping of the statue, dangling her feet. She tosses her head from side to side, bored.

LEONIE PINELLI, 18, is dirtier and less refined than her comrades but stands with her head held high. She proudly grips her lance.

LORENZ GLOUCESTER, 18, a lanky and persnickety man with a perfectly maintained uniform, turns his nose up when he sees Claude.

MARIANNE VON EDMUND, 18, a sad-looking girl with no confidence, stands a few meters behind the rest of the group. She stares at the ground, avoiding eye contact.

Claude is confused.

CLAUDE  
This is all that made it?

RAPHAEL  
(offscreen) Wait for us!

RAPHAEL KIRSTEN, 19, a gigantic and broad-shouldered man with an enormous smile, rumbles forward followed by a panting IGNATZ VICTOR, 18, slender, sweet and overwhelmed.

IGNATZ  
I can't keep up. And now we have to take the hill?

LEONIE  
Claude, I have a scouting report. Edelgard and the Black Eagles have already —

CLAUDE  
Yes, I know. By now they've already taken the hill. That means we don't have long to plan our attack. Take the hill, hold it, and we win.

Lorenz sizes Claude up.

LORENZ  
(dripping in sarcasm) And what do you suggest we do, oh fearless leader?

Claude grabs a stick and draws a makeshift diagram in the dirt.

CLAUDE  
There are fortifications here, here, and here. Here's what we need to do...

EXT. MOCK BATTLEFIELD HILL - DAY

Edelgard stands atop the tower, queen of her domain.

Hubert stands beside her.

HUBERT  
Who do you suppose will attack us first?

Edelgard smirks.

EDELGARD  
We've thinned out the Blue Lions enough — Dimitri will have to lick his wounds before attacking.

She turns to face Hubert.

EDELGARD  
It's the Golden Deer, surely. Claude won't be able to resist coming up with some kind of trick.

Hubert nods.

HUBERT  
That was my thought as well.

Edelgard smiles and stares out over the forest. A short distance away she sees GARREG MACH MONASTERY in all its splendor. Immense, ancient and heavily fortified, it is a church headquarters, military fortress and hub of commerce all in one.

As she breathes in the beautiful view, Hubert abruptly breaks the spell.

HUBERT  
Lady Edelgard. Garreg Mach Monastery is quite a sight. But we must keep our mind on the task at hand.

Edelgard sighs.

EDELGARD  
You are right, of course.

Caspar screams offscreen.

CASPAR  
We're under attack! Over here, everybody!

Leonie and Lorenz have appeared from the forest, hurling blunt javelins. They miss, and run back into the woods. Caspar chases after them. Ferdinand follows him in a huff.

Edelgard yells from the tower.

EDELGARD  
No, Caspar, don't -

EXT. MOCK BATTLEFIELD FOREST - DAY

Caspar and Ferdinand run into the forest, but Leonie and Lorenz have disappeared.

Caspar and Ferdinand peer through the brush, looking for their opponents.

LYSITHEA  
(offscreen) Gotcha.

Two bolts of magic fly from behind them, hitting Caspar in the chest and Ferdinand right between the eyes. They both go down. Caspar pounds the ground in frustration.

CASPAR  
Come on. I had you!

FERDINAND  
You fool. You should have seen this coming.

Lysithea appears looming over Ferdinand with an iron glare. She stares him down and clenches her fists. She harshly kicks him twice and moves back into the forest.

Ferdinand moans with confusion and pain. Caspar laughs.

EXT. MOCK BATTLEFIELD HILL - DAY

Edelgard frantically races down the stairs of the tower. Hubert stays behind, peering into the forest to try and spot their enemies.

A volley of blunt arrows flies toward Hubert. He ducks, and they miss.

Dorothea runs to meet Edelgard.

DOROTHEA  
Where are they coming from?

EDELGARD  
They're trying to draw us out. We need to stay here.

Claude and Ignatz kneel behind a bush and lower their bows.

Claude gracefully rises for another shot. Ignatz follows him, his hands trembling.

Petra suddenly leaps over the bush with an earsplitting war cry. Claude is startled but immediately somersaults away. Petra tackles Ignatz. He screams as she stabs him repeatedly with her blunt wooden knife.

IGNATZ  
Petra. Petra!

PETRA  
(with a foreign accent) You will be slapped down, villain!

IGNATZ  
I'm down, I'm down! You can stop...

Petra sneers at him and pushes his face into the ground as she rises.

PETRA  
Weak. That is what you are.

She runs off in Claude's direction. Ignatz groans.

Edelgard and Dorothea look around, tense. Hubert calls down to them.

HUBERT  
Lady Edelgard, two on your right!

Raphael and Lorenz charge toward them, brandishing their weapons. Edelgard and Dorothea hold their ground.

EDELGARD  
Now!

Dorothea throws her weapon to the ground and fires a magic bolt while Edelgard chucks a wooden throwing axe. Lorenz ducks behind a wooden crate to avoid the axe, but Raphael is taken down by Dorothea's magic.

Dorothea lets out a cheer.

DOROTHEA  
We got em on the run!

A wooden sword smacks into her back.

DOROTHEA  
Yowch!

She falls to the ground. Edelgard has been taken down too — Leonie stands over her with her lance, laughing.

Hubert watches in horror from the tower. A blunt arrow hits him in the temple and he begrudgingly goes down.

Marianne meekly holds her wooden sword and looks down at Dorothea.

MARIANNE  
I'm sorry.

Dorothea sighs and gives her a soft smile.

Marianne turns away, nervous.

Claude laughs and puts away his bow. A furious Petra is on the ground beside him.

He walks toward Edelgard, his arms wide, taunting her.

CLAUDE  
So Princess Edelgard von Hresvelg and her Black Eagles get beat. Is this the best the Empire has to offer?

Edelgard, kneeling on the ground, holds her head high, but is silent.

The Golden Deer students begin to gather around Claude.

CLAUDE  
I'm sure Dimitri is getting ready to head up here soon. But he won't be a match for us.

Hilda yawns, making a scene.

HILDA  
Can't we just end this? I've done enough work for today.

Leonie gives her a light shove.

LEONIE  
Can you be serious, Hilda?

CLAUDE  
Hey, Hilda, weren't you supposed to rush in with Lorenz? What was Raphael doing there?

Hilda shifts uncomfortably.

HILDA  
Ummm, well, I hurt my ankle on the walk up here, and...

CLAUDE  
It looks fine to me.

Raphael, still down where Dorothea struck him with her magic, shouts over with a big, clueless grin.

RAPHAEL  
It's okay. She said she was too tired and asked me to take her place, so I did.

Claude glares at Hilda. She shrugs. Lorenz scoffs.

LORENZ  
You are all embarrassing. Hilda, you should be proud to fight alongside a fellow Alliance noble.

Lysithea groans impatiently.

LYSITHEA  
Come on, what's the plan? The Blue Lions will be here any moment.

Claude ponders.

CLAUDE  
Hm. Well, let's think. We could try digging some pitfalls...

LYSITHEA  
There's no time for that.

CLAUDE  
Alright, alright, give me a minute.

He thinks for a beat.

We hear the ROAR of several men and women shouting battle cries offscreen. Claude is shocked. Lysithea brings her palm to her face with a sigh.

DIMITRI BLAIDDYD, 19, a tall, blonde, handsome man with a ferocious look in his eyes, charges forward with his wooden lance.

DIMITRI  
Forward, Blue Lions! For the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus!

Behind him, the STUDENTS OF THE BLUE LIONS charge ahead in formation with Dimitri at the front.

Matching him step for step is DEDUE MOLINARO, 20, a hulking dark-skinned man who shows no emotion.

Also at the front are:

SYLVAIN GAUTIER, 19, a red-headed pretty boy who laughs callously as he joins the battle.

INGRID GALATEA, 18, stoic and intense, her braided blonde hair whipping in the wind, giving her the look of a proud valkyrie.

FELIX FRALDARIUS, 18, who glowers as he bounds forward, a graceful but pained look on his face. He expertly wields his sword.

Behind them, MERCEDES VON MARTRITZ, 20, compassion and apology in her eyes even as she runs into battle, and ANNETTE DOMINIC, 18, small, dynamic and energetic. The two of them launch magical bolts at the stunned Golden Deer students.

Lysithea, Lorenz and Claude leap for cover.

Hilda, exasperated, raises her hands in the air and goes down untouched, shaking her head.

Leonie reaches for her weapon, but is overrun by the charging Blue Lions.

Lorenz shouts at Claude as they flee.

LORENZ  
You let us get ambushed!

Dimitri reaches a bewildered Marianne. His face is full of fury and rage — he strikes her with his wooden lance. She goes down and lets out a yelp. Their eyes meet — and he is startled by the deep sadness and fear in her eyes.

His rage disappears. He reaches toward her with his hand, apologetic, but Marianne shrinks away.

Dedue grabs his shoulder.

DEDUE  
Your Highness, this way.

They head off to chase the remaining Golden Deer. As he begins to run, Dimitri spies Edelgard, still on her knees, closely observing the action, calculating.

For a moment, they lock eyes. Dimitri quickly looks away.

Claude, Lysithea, and Lorenz split off in different directions pursued by the rest of the Blue Lions.

Claude sprints toward a fortification, Felix hot on his trail.

He spies an opening in the bottom and nimbly rolls to the other side.

He smirks — until he looks up. Annette and Mercedes look down at him. They zap him with magic energy.

Annette does a fist pump while Mercedes laughs with a motherly look on her face — proud and amused. Claude sighs.

Lorenz reaches the edge of the hill. He looks down at the slope — he could run for it — but holds his head high. He turns to face his pursuer. It's Ingrid.

Lorenz draws his lance.

LORENZ  
Lady Ingrid, it is I, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, heir to my father's house. You dare face me in single combat?

Ingrid does not break stride. She leaps and raises her lance in the air. Lorenz raises his own lance to block the blow. She brings the shaft down against his lance with such force that it knocks the weapon to the ground. She jabs him in the chest. He groans and goes down.

Ingrid walks away without saying a word — unable to contain a proud grin.

INT. MOCK BATTLEFIELD TOWER - DAY

Lysithea scrambles up the tower stairs. Sylvain is close behind her.

She reaches the top and turns to face him down. Sylvain gives her a wink.

SYLVAIN  
Come on, you sure you want to fight? I wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face.

Lysithea glares at him. She raises her arms to cast a spell. But instead of the harmless magical bolts that have been conjured during the mock battle, her hands conjure swirling, purple orbs of flame.

Sylvain is taken aback. Lysithea is equally surprised.

SYLVAIN  
Woah, woah, easy, this is a mock battle —

Before she can stop them, SWOOSH — the orbs launch at Sylvain.

He throws himself to the ground and they miss — but hit the other side of the tower. With a great EXPLOSION, the tower begins to rock.

Lysithea collapses onto one knee. She looks faint, the color drained from her face. Sylvain scoops her up and waves for help.

The rest of the students look on, terrified.

DIMITRI  
Get down from there, quickly!

Edelgard watches in awe, her eyes trained on Lysithea.

The tower teeters.

A loud screech rains down from the sky and a large, dragon-like SHADOW passes over the hill.

A WYVERN swoops downward. On its back is SETETH, 38, a regal and no-nonsense man in priest-like robes. One look at him and you know he is wise beyond his years.

He swerves the wyvern toward the tower. As the top half falls, he swoops underneath Sylvain and Lysithea and catches them on the back of his mount.

The top half of the tower crashes to the ground, sending splinters of wood flying. The students duck for cover.

Seteth and his wyvern fly upward — as they ascend, the shot begins to blur, but we can make out three other wyvern riders waiting for them.

Seteth speaks to Lysithea, but we can't hear his muffled words. She passes out as the camera fades to black.

INT. GARREG MACH INFIRMARY - NIGHT

Lysithea awakens in an infirmary bed. MANUELA CASAGRANDA, 41, a saucy, theatrical woman who still turns heads as she hits middle age, gently holds Lysithea's hand.

MANUELA  
Ah, you're awake, dear.

LYSITHEA  
Professor. What happened?

HANNEMAN VON ESSAR, 51, a learned scholar with a thick greying mustache and monocle, stands behind her.

HANNEMAN  
Your magic was out of control. How many times must I tell you? Magic is a drain on your energy — you must use it carefully.

Manuela shoots a glare at Hanneman and enunciates every word.

MANUELA  
Excuse me, PROFESSOR Hanneman, I believe she asked me, thank you.

Hanneman sighs.

MANUELA  
My dear, we were so concerned. It's a good thing you have me to take care of you.

HANNEMAN  
Yes, well, despite Manuela's (sarcastic) great skill and expertise... You must rest. Lay low until the morning, and we'll reevaluate —

Lysithea quickly gets out of bed.

LYSITHEA  
No, I'm going to the banquet.

MANUELA  
Oh dear, please, lay down.

Lysithea speaks with such authority and finality that nobody dares question her.

LYSITHEA  
I'm fine. I am grateful to you, Professor. But now that I am well, I must attend tonight's banquet.

She marches out of the infirmary. She stumbles slightly on her last step out the door, but catches herself and keeps going.

Hanneman twiddles his mustache, pondering.

INT. GARREG MACH BANQUET HALL

We enter a lively, celebratory night at the monastery's BANQUET HALL.

Three LONG TABLES stretch from one side of the stone room to the other. Each class has its own table — on the left, Edelgard's Black Eagles, the middle, Dimitri's Blue Lions, and on the right, Claude's Golden Deer.

At one end of the room, SERVANTS and COOKS serve modest, but satisfying meals to the students.

Lysithea slips into the hall quietly. She slinks into a seat at the Golden Deer table between Raphael and Ignatz. Raphael beams. Ignatz regards her with concern, but Lysithea stares forward.

The Blue Lions are especially raucous. A rowdy Sylvain stands before them with a glass in the air.

SYLVAIN  
...to our glorious leader, His Highness, Prince Dimitri, and the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus!

The Blue Lions cheer and laugh. Dimitri is silent but smiles with approval. Dedue sits next to him, stoic.

Further down the table, Felix sits by a cheering Ingrid. He sips on his drink and stares — he clearly wants no part of the celebration. Ingrid gives him a friendly jab and motions for him to join. He ignores her.

Sylvain swaggers down the aisle between tables and dramatically bows before an amused Edelgard.

SYLVAIN  
My lady, I know your loss must be difficult to bear...

He grabs her hand and gives it a kiss.

SYLVAIN  
Perhaps you'd like to accompany me to my room tonight. So I can comfort you through this difficult time.

Edelgard stands, playing along. She reaches up and touches Sylvain's cheek.

EDELGARD  
Oh, Sylvain, whatever would I do without such a noble, kind, generous —

She seductively wraps her leg around his — and trips him, knocking him off balance before she throws him to the ground.

EDELGARD  
Dense fool such as yourself.

The Black Eagles chortle. Hubert smirks. He sits next to Ferdinand, who scoffs and regards Edelgard with disdain.

Many of the Blue Lions laugh as well, including Dimitri. Ingrid hurries over to Sylvain and grabs him — hard. She glares at him as she aggressively walks him back to the table.

INGRID  
One of these days you're either going to stop embarrassing yourself, or I'm going to stop being here to rescue you.

SYLVAIN  
Ouch. Come on, lighten up.

Edelgard tosses her hair and sits down. Dimitri watches her for a moment, wistful.

Ferdinand leans toward Edelgard.

FERDINAND  
Not very royal of you, Princess.

She gives him an iron stare. Ferdinand rolls his eyes and returns to his meal.

Seteth now rises and stands front and center before the students. His head high, he moves effortlessly, like he is gliding along the ground. But tonight he has a distracted, faraway look in his eye. He is joined by Hanneman, Manuela, and ALOIS, 43, a large, muscular and jovial man.

SETETH  
The Goddess is all things.

Everyone responds. Claude smirks as he says the words.

EVERYONE  
She is heaven above and land below.

Edelgard says the words straightforward and intense.

EVERYONE  
She is eternity incarnate.

Dimitri, eyes closed, peaceful — hanging on every word of the prayer.

EVERYONE  
Her eyes see all. Her ears hear all.

SETETH  
To Saint Seiros, her sword.

EVERYONE  
May the blessings of the Goddess follow you always.

SETETH  
Students of the Officer's Academy. You are here at Garreg Mach Monastery because you are the finest young talent your nations have to offer. Today, your mettle was put to its first great test of the year. You all performed admirably — but only one class emerged victorious. We are proud to recognize — from the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, the Blue Lions!

The Blue Lions roar with delight. Manuela laughs and applauds while Hanneman and Alois look slightly disappointed. Seteth stares for a moment, lost in thought before he snaps back to his duty.

SETETH  
Golden Deer. Black Eagles. You must learn from your errors today. We are here to mold you into tacticians and warriors. Failure is a part of that process. Now. Do not idle too long. We have another day of work ahead of us.

He moves to exit the hall — Hanneman grabs him on his way out. They have a hushed conversation.

Manuela squeals with delight and runs to join the Blue Lion House for a raucous toast.

Alois approaches the Golden Deer and gives Claude a forceful but friendly clap on the back. He laughs as he teases Claude.

ALOIS  
What are you doing, boy? Embarrassing me out there? I gloat about you to my comrades all morning, and you find a way to screw it up. And to Manuela's rabble no less.

Claude sighs.

CLAUDE  
I'm not proud of it, Professor, but —

Alois ignores him. He looks to Lysithea.

ALOIS  
And you! What in the name of Seiros happened to you out there?

Lysithea is stone-faced.

LYSITHEA  
It's nothing. I'm fine.

Hilda plays with her food, not paying attention to Alois. She and Sylvain make eye contact from across the hall.

Claude watches Seteth and Hanneman finish their conversation before Hanneman approaches the Black Eagles.

Alois chuckles.

ALOIS  
Bah. I'll see you lot tomorrow. Au revoir!

He exits the hall, smiling the whole way.

INT. HILDA'S QUARTERS - NIGHT

Enter Hilda's dorm room, a cookie-cutter wooden room with little more than a bed and wardrobe — but it has been made lively with bright, hand-crafted decorations.

Hilda pushes Sylvain onto her bed and throws herself on top of him. They kiss passionately.

HILDA  
It's about time.

Sylvain gives a cocky laugh.

SYLVAIN  
I've only had eyes for you.

Hilda gives him a skeptical look.

HILDA  
Uh-huh.

They continue to kiss. Hilda begins to unbutton his shirt. She sees the CREST OF GAUTIER on his chest and laughs.

HILDA  
Ah, there it is. The Crest of Gautier.

She playfully moves to touch Sylvain's crest. He slaps her hand out of the way.

HILDA  
Hey — what's wrong?

SYLVAIN  
Can we not talk about crests right now?

HILDA  
(playful)  
Oh, what's wrong, poor Sylvain is sad that he's blessed by the goddess?

She seductively removes her top. The CREST OF GONERIL shines on her heart.

HILDA  
Oh, what will I do with my special blood! Woe is me —

Sylvain is silent.

HILDA  
Are you not gonna tell me what's wrong? You could always leave, you know.

Sylvain sighs and sits on the edge of the bed.

SYLVAIN  
Have you heard of my brother? Miklan?

Hilda is surprised.

HILDA  
Miklan, the King of Thieves? He's your brother?

SYLVAIN  
Yes. My older brother. But he wasn't born with a crest.

HILDA  
Ah. Well then.

SYLVAIN  
He was to be House Gautier's heir, but once I came around and was born with the crest...

HILDA  
It all passed on to you. Well, that's just the way things are.

SYLVAIN  
When I was a kid, after a snowfall, we went to play out in the mountains around our castle. Miklan was bigger, stronger — he knew his way around. He led me deep into the forest, pushed me into a snow bank and left me there. Guess he figured I'd die. I was so young...

Hilda is uncomfortable. She plays with her hair.

HILDA  
Um, Sylvain, I don't mean to be rude, but... I was kind of just looking to have a bit of fun.

Sylvain is silent for a beat. He then grabs Hilda and throws her back onto the mattress. She laughs.

EXT. GARREG MACH TRAINING GROUNDS - DAY

A beautiful day at the monastery. Not a cloud in the sky.

We see a practice target. After a beat, an arrow THUNKS into the bullseye.

Leonie, poised and confident, lowers her bow. She turns to Ignatz, who stands next to her with his own bow drawn.

LEONIE  
Come on, give it another go.

Ignatz grimaces, focuses, and fires an arrow — that misses entirely and clinks off the stone monastery wall. He groans. Leonie tries to keep an encouraging face, but she's growing perplexed.

LEONIE  
Uh, that's alright, I guess we'll just keep trying...

Behind them, the other Golden Deer students spar on the grass under the supervision of Alois.

Raphael yells with enthusiasm as he swings his practice axe at Hilda. She skillfully dodges as they keep up their fight.

Claude and Lorenz, practice swords drawn, spar with intensity and skill.

Marianne and Lysithea stand away from the group, together, practicing their magic. Marianne gracefully weaves a burst of light. Lysithea concentrates, but a lightning bolt shoots from her hands, knocking her off balance and taking a chunk out of the wall. She stays on her feet but grunts with frustration. Marianne looks at her with concern.

Alois has not noticed Lysithea. He watches Claude and Lorenz closely.

ALOIS  
Losing to the damned Blue Lions. You're the Golden Deer — the best of the Alliance! Show 'em some pride this time.

Lorenz unleashes a flurry of strikes at Claude, putting him on the defensive.

LORENZ  
Yes. Pride. Have you no pride for your House or your station?

Claude is silent and ducks under a swipe from Lorenz. Lorenz keeps up his aggressive strikes, getting angrier with each blow.

LORENZ  
Who are you? Is this the future leader of the Alliance?

Claude continues to fend off his attacks, but they get faster and faster —

LORENZ  
Your grandfather passes away with no heir... And you suddenly come out of nowhere...

He backs Claude up against the wall —

LORENZ  
It's time for House Gloucester to lead the council... It's our time, not yours.

Claude drops his sword and grabs Lorenz's hands, and wrests his opponent's sword away. Lorenz yells and tackles Claude to the ground. They wrestle. Alois watches but does not intervene. The other students stop their training to watch.

After several seconds, Lorenz gets the upper hand on Claude.

LORENZ  
You are not fit to lead our class. Filthy commoner.

"Filthy commoner." The moment Leonie hears these words she jumps into action. She sprints over and pulls Lorenz off of Claude, throws him back on the ground, punches him and spits in his face.

LEONIE  
How's this for a filthy commoner?

Lorenz glares at her, breathing heavily. Claude, bruised and covered in dirt, gets up, grabs Leonie and pulls her away. She shouts back at Lorenz.

LEONIE  
Go back to your silk sheets and fancy jewels!

Lorenz, still on the ground, catches his breath, embarrassed. Hilda runs over and helps him up. She gives Claude a nasty look as they walk away.

Lysithea trembles, visibly upset.

LYSITHEA  
What is the matter with all of you? I don't have time for this!

Marianne gently puts her hand on her shoulder. Lysithea storms away. Marianne does not follow her.

EXT. GARREG MACH FOREST - DAY

Petra silently creeps through the woods. She holds her bow low and a dagger in her teeth.

Through a clearing, she spies a fawn, happily exploring. It stops to nibble at the grass. Petra squints her eyes, watching closely.

A doe emerges and carefully approaches the fawn. Petra grins. Just like she expected.

She nocks an arrow into her bow. Swiftly, silently she draws the string —

FERDINAND  
Ouch!

The deer immediately sprint away.

CASPAR  
Oh come on, you big baby. Here, let me help —

Petra turns around, furious. Ferdinand and Caspar are behind her. Ferdinand, crawling behind Petra has pressed his right hand into a thorn bush. He holds it — covered in thorns — with his left hand.

Caspar, on his knees, clumsily grabs Ferdinand's right hand. Ferdinand yelps in pain.

PETRA  
You are very stupid men. You have let our prey come away from us.

FERDINAND  
I don't know how people do things in your homeland, Petra, but I wasn't raised crawling through the mud.

PETRA  
Do not insult me. In Brigid we are proud. We take care of ourselves. Here in Fodlan they let soft men like you in charge.

CASPAR  
Hey, easy —

Petra flares her eyes and snaps at Caspar.

PETRA  
I will be hearing nothing from one like you.

Caspar looks at the ground as Petra glares at him. She angrily picks up her bow and leaves them silently.

FERDINAND  
Don't pay her any mind. I don't know why we agreed to come out here with her in the first place.

Caspar pulls thorns out of Ferdinand's hand.

CASPAR  
I can understand how she feels.

FERDINAND  
She's a savage. It's not your fault her people can't win a war.

CASPAR  
Give it a rest.

Ferdinand yelps with pain as Caspar yanks a thorn.

INT. GOLDEN DEER CLASSROOM - DAY

Lysithea swiftly reads through a textbook. She is a speed reader, her eyes quickly taking in every word as she turns pages and takes notes on her parchment.

Marianne sits by the window, alone, a glum look on her face.

Hilda relaxes by the fireplace, filing her nails.

At a nearby table, Leonie sits with Raphael and Ignatz. Leonie strings her bow, Ignatz draws a picture and Raphael eats a turkey leg.

RAPHAEL  
(while eating) I just don't get what everyone's so mad about.

IGNATZ  
Just the nobles and their squabbles.

RAPHAEL  
Still. I don't get it. Hey, Lysithea, you're a noble, right? What was Lorenz so upset about?

Lysithea does not miss a beat —

LYSITHEA  
Leave me alone. I'm busy.

Raphael is perplexed but gives up.

RAPHAEL  
They're in there with Seteth now aren't they?

Hilda shouts over to him —

HILDA  
Will you stop talking with your mouth full? Yeesh, you're disgusting.

Leonie shoots a glare at Hilda and turns to Raphael.

LEONIE  
That's what I heard.

Marianne watches a BIRD land by the windowsill. It looks at her and tweets. She smiles.

RAPHAEL  
(still with his mouth full) I mean who even is Seteth? How do you just become Lady Rhea's right hand guy?

LEONIE  
I'm... not sure. I haven't heard much about him. Just that he's here.

Hilda speaks, grimacing at Raphael's chewing but trying to ignore it.

HILDA  
You know, it's funny, my brother was a student here under Seteth too. That was years ago, but he says Seteth hasn't aged a day.

Marianne happily watches the bird. It flies to her hand and lands on her finger, looks her directly in the eyes and lets out some more happy tweets. Marianne smiles and nods and the bird flies away.

IGNATZ  
That's not that strange. My parents know a wandering merchant from Morfis who sells an elixir that keeps you young.

Lysithea stops reading in her tracks. She puts her quill down. Listening intently.

HILDA  
Whatever, Ignatz, it's just something I heard. My brother did take a few too many knocks on the head during the invasion.

Lysithea gets back to reading, with a newfound urgency.

INT. SETETH'S OFFICE - DAY

Close-up of light easing through a stained glass window. It shows an image from Fodlan's past. An enormous white dragon sits in the sky, its wings outstretched, arching over the entire image.

Beneath it, four smaller dragon-like figures. And below them, a clump of soldiers carrying a banner with the mark of the Adrestian Empire.

They are led by a woman with a winged helmet, raising her golden sword in the air.

SETETH  
I will hear no more of this. Claude is the leader of the Golden Deer.

Zoom out to show Seteth's office — a pristine room. Artifacts line the shelves.

Seteth sits behind his desk stacked with neatly organized scrolls and books. Alois stands beside him. They face Lorenz and Claude.

Claude is calm and looks Seteth in the eyes. Lorenz crosses his arms and wears a scowl.

LORENZ  
It is nonsense.

Alois bellows at Lorenz.

ALOIS  
Enough of this, boy. I'll not let your politics infect this class any longer. I'm a knight. I'm not a babysitter.

SETETH  
Claude. You are the grandson of the late Duke Riegan?

CLAUDE  
I am.

SETETH  
And you bear the Crest of Riegan?

CLAUDE  
That I do.

SETETH  
And the Leader of House Riegan leads the Alliance council?

CLAUDE  
That's true.

Seteth gives Lorenz a deadpan look.

SETETH  
You expect me to trouble the Archbishop with this? You are both wasting my time. Claude, as Class Leader, it is your duty to manage these disputes. I have far more important matters to attend to. Begone.

He gets up. Lorenz and Claude get up as well. Claude turns to leave. Lorenz gives a dramatic, sarcastic bow to Seteth before following him. Alois grumbles.

ALOIS  
These kids are going to be the death of me.

Seteth ignores him. He has more pressing matters on his mind.

SETETH  
Alois. Tell me. Have you heard any recent reports from Teutates?

ALOIS  
Teutates? Can't say I have.

SETETH  
Nor have I. And that's what troubles me.

Alois nods gravely.

EXT. GARREG MACH MARKETPLACE - DAY

It's a busy day at the marketplace. Pedestrians crowd shops and street vendors. A group of children happily plays a ball game.

Ingrid and Felix stroll along the street. Ingrid happily takes in the scene. Felix is stone-faced.

The children lose track of their ball, which rolls to Ingrid's feet. She bends over, picks it up and hands it to the child. He looks at Felix, frightened.

CHILD  
Th- thank you my Lady.

INGRID  
Oh, please. It's Ingrid.

CHILD  
Yes. Thank you Lady Ingrid.

He runs off. She laughs.

INGRID  
They'd never know how little power my name carries back home.

FELIX  
Hmph. Well, Galatea is still a noble house.

INGRID  
It's nothing compared to Felix of the great House Fraldarius.

The townsfolk begin to buzz.

FELIX  
It's sickening. The way they look at us like we're so special.

Ingrid excitedly shushes him.

INGRID  
Here they come.

The townspeople move off the street to clear a space. Ingrid and Felix follow suit.

We see a procession of KNIGHTS moving through the market.

At their head, two men who carry banners bearing the emblem of the Church of Seiros.

Behind them, several knights on horseback in a tight formation.

They are followed by a lone woman on a horse — CATHERINE, 29, a rough and proud woman, blonde with skin tanned by many long days out in the sun. At her side, the magical sword THUNDERBRAND.

Ingrid watches her pass with breathless wonder. Catherine catches her eye and nods. Ingrid beams.

Behind her, two more riders — SHAMIR NEVRAND, 28, an exotic, mysterious woman with jet black hair who carries a bow on her back. Next to her is CYRIL, 17, her squire, a wide-eyed and dark-skinned boy who does not look fully comfortable on a horse.

INGRID  
The Knights of Seiros.

FELIX  
I'll never understand your fascination. They're just stooges for the Church.

INGRID  
Stooges? They've devoted their lives to what they believe in. You could learn a thing or two from that.

FELIX  
Please. I have no time for oaths or chivalry. That's what got him killed.

Ingrid is suddenly distant. Felix's words take all the wind out of her sails.

FELIX  
Cut them with your blade and they'll bleed just like I do. Fancy armor and the Church of Seiros don't make you special.

He looks over to Ingrid and notices she's upset.

FELIX  
What's bothering you?

INGRID  
How can you ask me that? Why are you like this?

FELIX  
I stopped letting the dead bother me long ago.

INGRID  
Oh, yes, Felix, you're so above it all. Go to hell.

She walks away, leaving behind a brooding Felix.

EXT. GARREG MACH FOREST - DAY

Ferdinand and Caspar clumsily roam through the forest.

FERDINAND  
Do you even know where we're going?

CASPAR  
Why are you chirping at me? I didn't lead us out here.

Caspar trips and falls over the root of a large tree. Ferdinand sighs, defeated, and sits down on a rock.

FERDINAND  
We're never going to get back to the monastery, are we?

CASPAR  
Just help me up, will you?

FERDINAND  
Help yourself up. I have better things to do.

Caspar glares at him and stays on the ground. After a beat, he begins to smile and then chuckle.

CASPAR  
I sure can't wait to tell Edelgard about how Ferdinand von Aegir was bested by a thorn bush.

Ferdinand's head jolts upward.

FERDINAND  
You wouldn't dare!

Caspar laughs obnoxiously. Suddenly, Petra drops down from the branches of the tree. She lands nimbly. Ferdinand and Caspar are shocked to see her.

She wears a look of dire concern and holds her hand out, shushing them. Startled, Caspar and Ferdinand comply.

CASPAR  
(whispers) What is it?

Petra motions to follow her.

EXT. GARREG MACH FOREST - DAY

The sun is beginning to set. Caspar and Ferdinand follow Petra through the woods.

She motions for them to stop and stay silent.

Caspar peers through the trees but does not see anything. He motions his confusion to Petra.

She glares at him and points.

Caspar looks again.

A group of ten CLOAKED FIGURES moves carefully through the forest. They carry weapons.

Caspar grabs his axe, but Ferdinand stops him.

Ferdinand motions to the others to fall back. Petra shakes her head. Caspar breathes heavily, ready for a fight.

But Ferdinand is insistent — he looks at his companions, gravely serious. Petra and Caspar both yield. They move away from the cloaked figures.

When they are a safe distance away, they huddle together.

FERDINAND  
No sign of who they might be.

CASPAR  
They're headed toward the monastery. We have to stop them.

PETRA  
I will not be letting them harm anyone. I am a warrior of Brigid —

FERDINAND  
Will you both stop it? We don't know anything about who they are or what they want. We can't go rushing in before we know what we're rushing into!

CASPAR  
I'm ready for a fight. We've trained for this, we can take 'em.

Petra nods, but Ferdinand is having none of it.

FERDINAND  
Excuse me. Three versus ten. Use your damn brain for once. Running into the forest with no plan didn't go too well yesterday, did it?

That hits Caspar hard. But he begrudgingly sighs in agreement.

FERDINAND  
This is over our heads. We need to get back and let the Knights deal with this.

Suddenly, an ARM wraps around Ferdinand's neck.

CLOAKED MAN #1 firmly holds Ferdinand and puts a blade to his throat.

CLOAKED MAN #1  
The Knights won't hear a thing.

Two more cloaked men appear, swords drawn. Caspar shouts and raises his axe — Petra draws her sword.

Caspar swings wildly and misses, but nearly hits Cloaked Man #1, who is forced to lift his sword from Ferdinand's neck to block the axe.

Ferdinand tumbles forward and grabs his spear. Petra skillfully duels Cloaked Man #2.

Caspar ducks a swing from Cloaked Man #1. Cloaked Man #3 comes up behind him and moves to stab him, but Ferdinand runs and thrusts his spear through Cloaked Man #3's abdomen.

Cloaked Man #3 sputters and bleeds. He coughs up blood and goes down, dead. Ferdinand watches in horror for a beat. This is the first time he has taken a life.

Petra is under duress from Cloaked Man #2. She's backed up against a tree, wildly and barely blocking his swings.

Caspar plants his feet and swings his axe again. Cloaked Man #1 sidesteps and slices his blade — right into the lower part of Caspar's abdomen. Caspar yells in pain and brings his axe down on Cloaked Man #1's head.

Petra kicks her leg out and trips Cloaked Man #2. He falls on the ground and she brings the point of her sword down on his back.

FERDINAND  
Caspar!

Ferdinand runs over to Caspar, who sinks to the ground.

CASPAR  
I'm ok. I'll be fine.

He grunts with pain. Petra hurries over to them.

FERDINAND  
We need to get him back to the monastery.

PETRA  
There may be more bad ones about. We must be careful.

FERDINAND  
Right. Come on.

They lift Caspar to his feet and support him as they move out.

EXT. GARREG MACH GROUNDS - NIGHT

Edelgard and Hubert sit together at a round wooden table on the scenic grounds of the Monastery. Edelgard notices Hubert is tense.

EDELGARD  
What's the matter? Jealous you couldn't join the hunting trip?

HUBERT  
No. I can't help but feel a certain tension in the air. You see it in the Professors, do you not?

EDELGARD  
I suppose.

HUBERT  
My Lady, I have watched over you for years. It is my duty and I do it without question. But a day will come when you won't be able to rely on me. You must learn to keep your own keen eyes about you, always.

Edelgard is annoyed.

EDELGARD  
Do not dare sell me short, Hubert. My mind is on the battlefield. Constantly. We cannot lose another engagement. We cannot. I must make sure it doesn't happen again.

HUBERT  
That may be so. But don't lose sight of threats off the battlefield as well.

Edelgard nods. She knows he's right.

INT. GARREG MACH LIBRARY - NIGHT

Lysithea enters the library — an enormous and meticulously organized forest of tomes. A few students sit at desks studying intently.

Tapestries on the walls show the history of the Church. Lysithea walks past them.

We see a sword raised in the air — held jointly by a woman with a white dress and a winged helmet, and a man clad in red and black. The CREST OF SEIROS shines bright above the sword. In the background, soldiers raise their weapons and cheer.

Another shows a man in black armor and a large blue cape hoisting a golden lance, flanked by a masked man in black. A woman in long white robes and a man with a Mitre hat present a scroll to them. The emblem of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus is above them.

Lysithea hurriedly sifts through books on the shelves. She does not see what she is looking for. A couple of students watch her, confused, but get back to work.

Lysithea moves behind a bookshelf. She thumbs across the shelf and pulls out a thick tome. MORFIS: CITY OF ILLUSION.

She thumps it down onto a desk and flips through it, desperately.

She stumbles on a chapter – "Ancient Morfis." That's not what she's looking for – she flips ahead. "Morfis Magical Techniques." She gasps. Could this be it?

She turns the page to find the entire chapter covered in black ink. Censored by someone unknown.

Lysithea groans in frustration and puts her head in her hands. Tears begin to flow down her cheeks.

A hand rests on her shoulder.

HANNEMAN  
My dear. What is troubling you?

She turns to look up at Hanneman's kind face. Her eyes are red. She sniffles.

LYSITHEA  
It's nothing. I'm just... doing research.

Hanneman looks at the book.

HANNEMAN  
On Morfis? What could you possibly be looking for there –

He sees the censored pages and pauses.

HANNEMAN  
Hmmm.

He looks at Lysithea again, more serious, authoritative —

HANNEMAN  
Lysithea. I need you to tell me what you are doing. I am here to help.

LYSITHEA  
I...

She tenses up. Hanneman soothes her.

HANNEMAN  
I have devoted my life to the study of crests and magic. If there is anything I can do...

After a beat, Lysithea looks up at him again.

LYSITHEA  
Professor, I was wondering...

She takes a deep breath. She is about to take the first step toward sharing a heavy burden.

LYSITHEA  
If there's a way to extend your life. To live longer.

Hanneman smiles. Knowingly.

HANNEMAN  
Let's head to my office.

EXT. GARREG MACH GROUNDS - NIGHT

We're back to Edelgard and Hubert. They chuckle together.

HUBERT  
I'd never seen Randolph so embarrassed.

Edelgard's eyes move to the doors of the chapel. Dimitri is there, chatting with Mercedes. He catches Edelgard's eye. He turns and nods to Merdedes, ending their conversation. Mercedes smiles and walks away as Dimitri approaches Edelgard.

Edelgard turns to Hubert.

EDELGARD  
Hubert, it's getting late.

Hubert watches her for a beat. He then turns to see Dimitri walking toward them.

HUBERT  
Yes. I see. Farewell. Until the morning, my Lady.

He gets up and glowers at Dimitri as he walks away.

Edelgard rises as Dimitri approaches her. He greets her with a curt nod. She returns it.

DIMITRI  
We missed you at prayers this evening.

EDELGARD  
I suppose you did.

DIMITRI  
I would expect the Princess of the Adrestian Empire to make her faith a priority.

Edelgard smirks.

EDELGARD  
You didn't come here to lecture me about religion. What is it you want, Dimitri?

DIMITRI  
Just to say hello. We have not spoken like this in some time.

EDELGARD  
We haven't.

DIMITRI  
Come. Walk with me.

They stroll silently together through the grounds. They are the only students about at this hour.

The weight of many years hangs over them. Neither wants to speak first.

Edelgard breaks the silence with a chuckle.

DIMITRI  
What is it?

EDELGARD  
I was just remembering how hard it was to teach you to dance.

Dimitri smiles.

DIMITRI  
You were a harsh taskmaster.

EDELGARD  
I wanted you to get it right.

DIMITRI  
I thought you just liked telling me what to do.

EDELGARD  
Maybe a little of that too.

They smile for a beat before Dimitri turns serious.

DIMITRI  
Edelgard — why did you leave the Kingdom capital?

EDELGARD  
It wasn't my choice.

DIMITRI  
But you could have stayed. We could have kept you —

EDELGARD  
You know that's not true.

DIMITRI  
You never answered my letters.

Edelgard is silent.

DIMITRI  
I hear nothing from you for five years. And suddenly we're reunited here, and you won't even speak to me.

EDELGARD  
Dimitri...

DIMITRI  
What happened? What changed?

Edelgard snaps at him.

EDELGARD  
I could ask you the same. I didn't come here to be interrogated. If all you want to do is rehash the past you're going to have to find someone else to bother.

DIMITRI  
El...

EDELGARD  
Do not call me that.

Dimitri is slightly taken aback.

DIMITRI  
Very well. Edelgard von Hresvelg.

He moves to tenderly grab her hand. But she pulls it away. He is disappointed.

DIMITRI  
I see.

Claude stands behind a nearby tree, listening closely.

Edelgard turns away from Dimitri. She tenses up, holding in her emotions.

EDELGARD  
If you would like to discuss strategy, or perhaps a joint training session for our classes, I will hear you out.

Dimitri watches her for a beat.

DIMITRI  
Very well. Perhaps we can discuss such an arrangement later.

Edelgard, still facing away from Dimitri, closes her eyes as he turns to leave.

She opens them again.

EDELGARD  
I bid you a good—

She sees the group of CLOAKED FIGURES approaching them. Weapons drawn.

Edelgard does not even flinch.

EDELGARD  
Dimitri?

Dimitri turns around, hopeful for a moment, but then he sees the cloaked figures. He becomes focused.

EDELGARD  
Have you ever taken a life before?

Dimitri nods, gravely.

DIMITRI  
I have.

EDELGARD  
Good. As have I.

They draw their weapons and face the assassins together.

Claude rushes to draw his bow. He stays hidden.

The assassins surround them in a circle.

DIMITRI  
What do you want?

ASSASSIN  
Stand down, Princeling. It will make this easier for everyone.

Dimitri flourishes his lance forward. Edelgard stands poised with her axe.

The assassins charge. Skillfully, Edelgard and Dimitri fight them off, but it is a challenge. With every swing and thrust of his lance, Dimitri grows angrier — a visible rage building within him.

An assassin presses the attack against Dimitri and is about to strike a killing blow.

Claude emerges from behind the tree and fires an arrow that hits the assassin in the face. Dimitri barely notices.

Edelgard holds her own. Skillful, swift swings of her axe keeping her attackers at bay.

She sees Claude and is startled — they share a quick, grateful nod.

Claude fires another arrow and misses.

An assassin closes in on Edelgard, the swings of his sword keeping her on the defensive. She is knocked off balance —

Suddenly, a powerful, thunderous voice overtakes them all.

RHEA  
Do not trespass on this sacred ground!

LADY RHEA, 40, the Archbishop of the Church of Seiros, an ethereal woman of otherworldly beauty, stands before them in white robes. The air around her seems to glow.

Beside her are Catherine, Shamir, Seteth and, Alois — and an exhausted Ferdinand and Petra.

The assassins are shaken for a moment, then resume their attack on Dimitri and Edelgard with renewed ferocity.

Catherine, Shamir and Alois rush into the fray. Seteth motions for Petra and Ferdinand to stay back before joining them.

Rhea is furious.

RHEA  
Foul beasts. You dare to defile the house of the Goddess!

She holds out her hands and white magical energy shoots toward the assassins, taking two of them down.

Catherine wields Thunderbrand masterfully, cutting two assassins down without effort. Alois laughs as he swings his axe and overpowers an assassin. Seteth silently, quickly strikes with his lance like a snake. Shamir stabs an assassin with her rapier.

Edelgard swings at her attacker and misses, but before he can take advantage, she backswings and hits him in the face with the horn of her axe. He falls to the ground, moaning.

Just as quickly as the fight began, it's over.

Seteth runs to Edelgard's attacker. He grabs his hood and pulls it off.

He is shocked. It is a bearded face — a face he knows. This is OMMEN, 42. Blood flows down his face from the gash of Edelgard's axe.

SETETH  
Ommen! What is the meaning of this?

The other Knights of Seiros are shocked as well.

OMMEN  
Seteth.

SETETH  
Is the Order of Indech behind this? Attacking our students? Betraying your own brethren?

OMMEN  
Listen to me.

Catherine walks over to him, shaking with fury.

OMMEN  
You must watch your back. They —

CATHERINE  
You traitor.

Catherine brings her sword down on Ommen's neck. He slumps to the ground, dead. Seteth is incredulous.

SETETH  
Catherine! What are you doing? He could have given us information —

Catherine shakes her head, proud.

CATHERINE  
A heretic's words mean nothing.

Rhea smiles and nods with approval.

RHEA  
Very good, Catherine. You have learned your lessons well.

SETETH  
Archbishop —

RHEA  
When a serpent can only feed you lies, you must cut out its tongue.

Seteth broods as Rhea addresses the students. Edelgard and Claude are remarkably poised while Dimitri breathes heavily, shaking off his rage.

RHEA  
Now, children — are you hurt?

EDELGARD  
I am unharmed, Lady Rhea.

CLAUDE  
Who were those guys? What's the Order of Indech?

RHEA  
Do not concern yourself with these matters. Edelgard, your classmate Caspar is in the infirmary. His comrades took great care to get him back here safely.

EDELGARD  
Understood. I will go to him.

She exits. Ferdinand and Petra follow her. Ferdinand gloats to Edelgard.

FERDINAND  
That's right. You would be dead if it weren't for me.

She ignores him. Petra smacks him in the back of the head.

Dimitri sits on the ground, exhausted. Catherine grabs him and pulls him up.

CATHERINE  
On your feet, boy. Come on.

As the rest of the group clears out, Seteth stands in the middle of the dead bodies, looking around at the men he thought were allies. He is deeply disturbed.

Alois gently grabs him and pulls him away.

Claude walks behind them, pondering.

The camera pans up to the stars and settles on the star Sirius. A red comet passes through the sky.


End file.
